


SnowBabies

by notalone91



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Babies, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Pregnancy, Romance, Snowball Fight, snowman building, the Ariel belle bit is platplatonic but it wouldn't let me tag it that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-23 11:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3766786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notalone91/pseuds/notalone91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle keeps herself occupied in the winter time while Rumple is in Neverland.  Meanwhile, he muses about their winters in the Enchanted Forest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	SnowBabies

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Rumbelle Secret Santa prompt from 2013. Prompt was "Rumbelle snowball fight/snowman building" and I hope I managed to sufficiently fluff out what was starting to take a really angsty turn!

It’s funny how the passage of time goes by practically unnoticed until you hit a landmark without the ones you love most.  For Belle, it happened as she was standing in the study, staring out the window overlooking the harbor in one of Rumplestiltskin’s silk shirts, hands clasped around her steaming cup of tea— the first snow.  The clouds came rolling in over the sea, where she’d been hoping that Hook’s ship would appear on the Horizon.  She’d hardly realized the change in the weather with setting Ariel up in her old apartment, running the library and the pawn shop, and looking over the town.  None of that occupied her time, though, like worrying about Rumple.  Though he’d told her that he wouldn’t be returning, she had to hope.  She knew she’d be fine, but that’s not what she wanted.  She was done with a life of “fine” a long time ago.  Before Henry had been taken, she was so sure that her life was going to be ideal from  then on.  Still, again, she found herself alone. 

At least, though, she didn’t have to be in that drafty old apartment over the library. 

The drafty old apartment she’d set Ariel up in. 

As it turned out, she might have someone to spend the time with until Rumplestiltskin returned.  She sat down at the desk and punched the numbers into the phone. As the phone rang on, she realized she hadn’t taught Ariel how to use her phone.  She giggled to herself, absentmindedly dropping a hand to trail absentmindedly across her stomach. 

Finally, the phone stopped ringing and she called into the receiver.  “Ariel?”  She heard a rattle and a clang followed abruptly by the instantly identifiable clip-clop of the low heels she’d loaned her. 

A far off voice sighed, “Oh good.  It stopped ringing.”  The heels clicked again as the voice mused about the purpose of the device. 

“ARIEL!” she shouted, hoping the phone’s volume was high enough to catch her friend’s attention.  “Pick up the receiver!”  Of course, it was only after that she’d realized Ariel would have no idea what “receiver” meant.  She closed her eyes and sighed.  How do you explain to someone the idea of a telephone?  “Pick up the part of the thing that was ringing that is not attached to the wall.”  The line felt silent and all she could do was hope that Ariel would figure it out enough.

On the other end, Ariel was falling into hysterics.  “Belle?”  She called out, looking in the closet, the hall, even out the window.  “Belle!?  Where are you?”  She leaned forward, hanging as far out the window as she dared.  A look of horror plastered itself upon her face.  “Oh no.  RINGING.”  Frantically, she ran to the phone and picked the whole thing up, scanning it for a miniaturized version of her friend.  She began speaking quietly into every hole, afraid of screaming at her or waking whatever evil spirit had shrunk her.  “Belle?  Are you okay?  What happened?”  She gave the phone a little shake.  “Are you in there?  Hello?”  She ran her free hand through her hair, brow furrowed, and concern taking over. 

Belle’s lips formed a relieved smile.  “Ariel, I’m fine.  I’ll explain later,” she giggled, “but it’s starting to snow and the apartment you’re in has issues with the heat.  Why don’t you spend the night at the house with me?”

Though she was happy to be talking to Belle, she was still worried about the logistics.  “But aren’t you in this tiny black ringamajigger?”  She held the phone away from her face and surveyed it again.

This time, the giggle turned into a stifled laugh.  “No, sweetheart, I’m at my house.”  She didn’t mean to laugh; she just should have known that the phone would have been unsettling for the newcomer.  “Come over and I’ll explain.”

“Alright,” she sighed, still skeptical of the whole thing, preparing herself for the worst.  “I’ll be over in a few minutes. Bye.”

 -

In Neverland, the group was getting close to rescuing Henry.  Close enough that they were all starting to feel just how homesick they were.  “How long have we been gone?” Emma asked, leaning against a tree far enough away from the fire that her parents couldn’t see just how tired she was.

“A couple of days,” Rumplestiltskin answered.  Deciding that if he were going to go with this whole honest, new leaf lifestyle, he’d go for not withholding.  He knew the answer.  Of course he knew the answer.  He could identify every night he spent away from Belle for years.  “Six, maybe.  Why?”

Emma pulled in close to herself, like a scared child, suddenly aware again of how vulnerable she felt when there were this many other people around.  “I’d heard people at Granny’s talking about snow.  I was wondering if we’d missed it.”

“Well, I’m sure it’ll still be there when we return.”  His mind flashed instead to images of the Dark Castle.  It had always been a simple joy of his, but for the time that Belle was there with him, it was the best.  They’d deck out the dining room in fresh evergreen boughs and red ribbon.  It wasn’t extravagant, but winter was always beautiful.  Anyway, that wasn’t what this conversation was about.  He shook away the images of Belle in her fur cloak, laughing as she sent a barrage of snowballs at him. “Everything freezes near solid in Storybrooke.  You’ve yet to see it, have you, Miss Swan?”

She looked over, still not used to Gold being this cooperative and, dare she think it, friendly.  “No, I mean, a bit around Valentine’s Day, but I have seen some pictures around.  Henry showed me one of his castle completely iced over.” 

He nodded fondly.  He was familiar with the picture.  A copy had sat on Regina’s desk for Heaven knows how long.  “The pictures don’t do it justice.  Everything shimmers.  It’s near pristine.”  Sure, it was easy to romanticize Storybrooke.  It was quaint, charming, and not without its own brand of character, but none of those came close to why Rumplestiltskin wanted so desperately to return.  As always, it was Belle.  His mind wandered the town’s main drag with her; watched the first snowflakes, felt their ice upon his face before proffering his overcoat to her, ignoring protests that her light jacket was enough.  He snapped himself back to reality; this reality, Neverland, his son, his father, his grandson.  Getting back to Belle was no longer out of the realm of possibility, but there were still obstacles. “Almost like a dream.”  He rose from the dead log he was sitting upon and turned to face the forest, cementing the idea of Neverland into his mind.

Neal turned to face his father.  “What’s gotten into you?” he asked, trying to banish lingering suspicion from his mind.

 “Nothing,” Rumplestiltskin replied.  “Nothing, Bae.  Just a bit homesick, I suppose.” 

Despite having heard his father’s dying words to Belle, there was no way Neal could have imagined that the home he was so longing for was, in fact, a woman.

-

The heaviest part of the snow wrapped itself up the following morning.  Belle and Ariel built a fire in the pit on the Victorian-style house’s wrap-around porch.  Still, the girls sat bundled silently under a blanket to block out the remaining bitter cold.  Ariel’s mouth hung open reverently. “It’s beautiful,” she spoke in a tone now higher than a hushed whisper, wanting to capture the moment as it was, until her enthusiasm for new things got the better of her.  “I’ve never seen anything like it!” 

Belle hadn’t realized that there were realms without snow, despite the fact that Ariel was a mermaid and likely didn’t spend much time at the surface.  She smiled fondly, “I’ve always loved the snow.  Back in the Enchanted Forest, we…”  Never having been a “we” person, the word felt funny in her mouth.  Still, the weather never ceased to bring on memories of Rumple.  They’d spend hours building snow people and having snowball fights.  Although, when the roughhousing led to the opportunity for romantic endeavors, Rumple would shy away and set their icy creations to life.  The white figures took off in a beautiful, glistening waltz.  Sometimes, she’d provide an appropriate melody and they’d dance along.  Usually, they’d stand in reverent silence.  She was so strongly opposed to his dependence upon magic, but this was different.  This was beautiful and harmless and frivolous.  It caused a necessary distraction and simple joy.  Her favorite moment of all wasn’t the act itself or anything to do with her own take on it; it was all to do with Rumplestiltskin.  The man spent so much of his time wrapped up in his own misery to notice the little things.  But not this.  This was their special treat and she’d always cherished it.  Still, she found it necessary to remove him from the retelling.  “I used to make entire families of snow people.”  She turned to Ariel and smiled, tugging her off the porch and into the new fallen snow.

Knowing the answer already, but still curious as to why she was leaving him out of the story, Ariel asked, “Who’s we?”

Taken aback by how closely Ariel had been following her sentence, Belle hesitated a little before responding “I said ‘I,’ didn’t I?”  Despite operating with the utmost discretion when it came to Rumplestiltskin and things she overheard and was entrusted with, she was usually an open book.  She just couldn’t bring herself to disclose such intimate moments.  Not when she still wasn’t sure if she’d even see him again.

A knowing smile crossed her face.  “Yes, you did.  I was just checking.”  Ariel tugged at Belle’s jacket.  She had an idea that she thought might get Belle to open up to her about the man who’d been on the beach with the evil queen— the man whose love led her to find the right possession to help their quest to save that little boy.  “Come on!  Let’s make snow versions of your friends— Snow, and Regina, and everyone.”

They started first on creating a snow Snow.  They decided that it would be easier to go with the groups’ Enchanted Forest selves, because dresses and capes provided better bases than legs.  After the last curls had been added to Snow White’s hair, they moved on separately, occasionally calling to one another when they needed a second opinion on a nose or the position of an arm.  Ariel had commented on how handsome Prince Charming was and, when she was told that he was Snow White’s husband, she couldn’t help but regale Belle with the story of how she met Snow White and Queen Regina.  Her new friend followed the tale intently.  There was no denying that the people in her story were the same ones she’d come to know— The Princess’s inherent belief that True Love prevails above all, the Queen’s unwavering vendetta against all who came up against her or stood in her way. The memory of her first encounter with the Queen came to mind.  She wasn’t sure now, how she’d been so naïve.  It was so obvious that the Queen knew what she was doing all along and who she was dealing with.  She carved away at Neal’s shoulders, wondering what her life would have been like had the spell broken when they kissed.  Would they have found another way to reunite father and son?  Would they have had a family of their own by now?  Would he still have been the same man he was? 

”Belle!” An excited Ariel’s shout from across the yard startled her out of her daydream.  She turned around fast and was greeted instead by the icy likeness of her True Love.  Her heart hammered away in her chest for a moment as reality set back in.  This wasn’t her Rumple. 

Her Rumple was who knows how far away.  Still, for someone she’d met only twice, Ariel really had the features down.  “It looks just like him!” she said with a smile, her fingers trailing absentmindedly to the snowy locks. Ariel stepped back a moment and folded her arms with a satisfied smirk.  She knew she had it right.  It wasn’t quite so much that Belle was worried about her in the cold.  Sure, that’d been part of it.  The real reason was how much she missed Rumplestiltskin.

-

Rumplestiltskin found himself alone, sitting upon an exposed root of an old tree, fashioning snowflakes out of fallen leaves.  It wasn’t that he couldn’t have conjured a snowfall from his fingertips using the water from the air, but he was trying.  Trying for Bae.  Trying for Henry.  Trying for Belle.  He had a family now.  Everything he’d ever wanted, he had within his grasp and he’d be damned if he would let it all go now.  From behind him, he heard the crackle of footsteps. 

He swirled around fast, Charming’s sword drawn at the ready.  Regina emerged from the tree line, hands raised, looking sympathetic.   She sat down next to him, careful not to get too close, knowing that her presence didn’t exactly put him at ease.  “You miss her, don’t you?” she asked.

“And who might that be, dearie?” he snarled, fingernail tearing through the leaf as he tensed.

“Belle,” Regina offered, trying to remain calm.  For all she knew, this conversation could be a million miles off the mark and end up doing more harm than good, but she was going to try anyway.  “You miss her.”

The man stood up, backing away slightly, eyes never leaving her for a moment.  There were a great many things he would discuss with Regina at length, but this was not one of them. 

It had been proven time and time again that neither Regina nor her mother could be trusted with hearts, and Belle was where he kept his.  “I don’t wish to discuss her with you.”  He moved slowly toward the trees that separated this clearing from where the rest of the group was camped.  “I hope you’ll understand, but I think our fledgling alliance here should go untainted by past events for as long as possible.”  He saw the protest in her eyes and added three words that even Regina could find no argument with: “For Henry’s sake.”

-

Their romp in the snow had worked up quite an appetite for Belle and Ariel.  With both girls being intimidated by the gas range in the kitchen, they decided that their best bet for getting food and having their lives still intact would be to take a walk down to Granny’s.  Belle figured it was time to introduce Ariel to two of her favorite things from this world, anyway: Burgers and Iced Tea. 

As they headed back to the house, they chatted about different things they passed, Belle explaining cars and jogging, Ariel remembering to ask about ”Ella Trick City” and “Card Ee-oh.”  Still, there was so much to be seen and Ariel took it all in in wonderment.  “This is really a lovely town.” 

“It is.”  Belle smiled warmly, though her voice didn’t match the tone of the sentiment.  She went on, “When the curse broke, I still wasn’t sure about it.  In reality, I still wonder what it would be like if we were still in the forest, but on nights like this, I definitely see the charm.”  The lump that had formed in Belle’s throat as she spoke threatened to make itself publicly known.  “I’m sorry, excuse me,” she said with a rush, turning for the trash can on the corner, closing her eyes and willing her meal to stay where it belonged.  She steadied herself on the nearby Mirror vending machine while the world stopped spinning around her.

Ariel rushed to her side.  “What’s the matter?”

“No, it’s nothing,” Belle assured her.  “Just a bit emotional is all.”

Wrapping a careful arm around her friend, she did her best to make sure that they avoided any obstacles, in case she found herself weak on her feet again.  “If you ask me, that looked a bit more like nausea,” she said, an air of suspicion crossing between them.  She dared not say what really crossed her mind, lest she offend Belle.  She just wasn’t sure if that was something that was in the cards for her. 

Belle sighed.  She knew Ariel hadn’t explicitly said it, but she also knew that she was caught.  She pulled them over toward the fence that lined the yard, not wanting to wait another second.  She should have been able to say something weeks ago, but it just hadn’t been the right time.  Her eyes lit up.  “Look, I haven’t even mentioned it to Rumple yet, so I didn’t know if I should, but, if they don’t get back soon, other people will…” She paused for a moment, partially to leave Ariel curious, but more so to make sure that she used the right words.  

Just then, the only thing that could have distracted the two in the moment happened.  A green light cracked over the harbor that could have only meant one thing: magic.  Still, Ariel, having never seen that type of magic in action, was confused.  “What was that?” she asked, only hoping that it was what she thought it was.

“You saw it too?”  Belle nearly squeaked, grabbing Ariel by the wrist and taking a step or two further down the street.

Ariel slid her hand up into Belle’s and took the strides to meet her.  “Do you think?”

“What do you say we give jogging a try?”  With that, the two took off down the street for the dock.  When they arrived, a small crowd had already gathered.  The dwarves, Granny, and Archie had set up the ramp to get of the huge wooden ship.  First, Emma and Henry were met by a huge wall of applause.  Snow and Charming, more of the same.  “Where is he?” she whispered to no one in particular, wrapping herself in a tight hug. Ariel shook her head worriedly.  Regina and Hook followed by Neal and a small blonde woman.  A little girl she could only assume was John and Michael’s sister.  A whole slew of little boys came running down the ramp, less one who walked suspiciously slow.  She bounced a little on the balls of her feet before turning around and burying her face in her hands.  “Come on, Rumple.  Please,”  she begged, a breathy prayer to anyone who could do anything to bring him back to her.

Ariel felt for her friend.  She couldn’t imagine having the hope she’d been brought back dashed a second time and she couldn’t help but feel responsible for that, at least a tiny bit.  After all, it was she who brought back the message for her.  Before she could reach out a comforting hand to her friend, Rumplestiltskin stood at the top of the ramp.  He looked around for a moment clearly, seeking Belle.  When he finally clapped eyes on her, he was heartbroken to see that she was turned away.  Ariel gasped, cursing herself for not recognizing him immediately.  “Belle.  Look.”

The tears welled in her eyes as she spun around, hoping that it was him.   It had to be.  Her breath caught in her chest as she locked eyes with Rumplestiltskin.  Her Rumple.  He was back.  Back here for good.  The man, now relieved to see that she hadn’t given up hope and was waiting after all, found himself with a renewed energy.  He took strong, sure strides and found himself moving toward Belle, both rapidly and not quick enough.  Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to speak and found only the most timid of sounds.  All of the words he’d planned, every last heartfelt, heroic sentiment vanished when he looked at her.  The woman before him didn’t need it.  His left hand met softly with Belle’s neck.  Even the feel of her skin and the smell of her hair didn’t quell the fear that she might not be real.  “Hello, Belle.”

Blinking out tear after burning tear, defying the strong façade she was upholding, she replied, “Hello, Rumplestiltskin.”  Instead of clouding the moment with any more words, she leaned up and nearly sent the pair of them toppling over with the force of her kiss.  He’d only been gone a short while and yet it felt like months.  “I told you I’d be seeing you again.”  All she could do was smile.  Everything was as it should have been.

Rumple smiled obligingly, thumbing away the last of her tears.  “That’s the last time I don’t listen to you.”   The pair laughed a bit, closing in on another kiss. Belle grabbed his hand with no intent of letting go.  She gave him a tug, leading him out of the crowd and closer to the town.

“Come on.  Let’s go home.”  She turned away, attempting to pull him further out. “We have one thing left to do,” he said, digging in his heel a bit and playfully pulling her back. She raised her eyebrows suggestively.  “Home first, then whatever it is.”  She pulled herself closer and ran her hand over his shoulder and trailed down his chest and lingered for a moment before looking right back into his eyes, assuring again, “I’m sure it can wait.”

“Home,”  he confirmed, nodding for a moment before finally it clicked.  When he left, Belle hadn’t moved back in.  She’d move back into the house.  An unstoppable smile took over his face and any other obligations of the moment were out the window.  “Okay, right.  Home first.” The couple took the short walk home in near silence.  Anything that had to be said just wasn’t as important as being near each other, holding each other’s hand and enjoying the moment that would, invariably and undeniably, be interrupted shortly by an ogre attack or rampaging dragon or whatever other nonsense Regina and Emma could find to drag up from the bowels of their own legends.    When they finally reached the house, Rumplestiltskin tried to climb the front steps, but instead, Belle gave his hand another quick yank and led him around the side of the house.  Perplexed, he asked “Belle, are you alright?” 

She gave a little laugh and clasped his hands between hers, skipping backward excitedly.  “I am.  I just wanted a moment with you first.”  They reached the gate and she stopped, pulling him in closer, as though he might disappear before her very eyes if she let go for even the slightest moment.   "I’ve missed you,” she said, leaning her head on his chest, “so much.”

“And I you,"  Rumplestiltskin replied, resting his cheek atop her head.  "But what’s this about, dearie?” he queried, straightening the pair of them out.

Belle reached for the gate and swung it open.  “I suppose there was a tradition that needed to be kept.” She gave him a slight push into the back yard.

He stood in reverent silence.  Before him stood uncanny snow sculptures of the group of people he’d just spent an unbelievably long week with.  He let out a quiet gasp.  “Belle.  You made all of these?” 

"Well, Ariel and I did,” she confessed, crossing to the pale reconstruction of Rumple. With an approving nod, he paced the circle, hesitating for a moment in front of Baelfire’s likeness.  “Now, there’s an important person missing from our little family sculpture garden,” he said, crossing back to Belle and wrapping her tightly in his arms.

She wriggled a bit, gazing up at him, asking playfully, “And who might that be?”

He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “You.”  He took a few steps to the open spot next to his own likeness.  Within a few moments, they’d formed the most part of Belle’s lower half.  She looked down at her waist and back at the snow figure, a look of curiosity upon her face.  She whined a bit at the difference, before a pair of hands found themselves over hers on her hips.  He took her hands a bit in front of her and whispered, “Watch,” as a whir of blue magic raced through both of their hands, forming the rest of her in a perfect copy.  Surely Bae wouldn’t begrudge him a bit of harmless showing off after his ego battle with the Captain. 

“That’s not fair,” she cooed, eyes wide.  The sculptures she and Ariel had made were good.  This was incredible. She turned back to him, voice soft, giving him a rap on the arm. “Rumple!”  It was impossible, but it seemed that her snowy self’s hair blew in the same manner to which hers did.

Rumple spun her back to face him, took a step toward her, and playfully knocked them both backwards to the ground with a soft oompf.  “Oh, I am sorry,” he said, reaching up and brushing loose strands from her face before leaning up to kiss her.

She writhed a bit, wanting so much more of the man she’d been missing, but decided, instead, to find a way to tell him what she should have ages ago.  “Come on, do the spell."  She patted him in the inside of the leg, standing up, and giving him a hand.

"Are you sure?” he asked, feigning a gasp, knowing the answer already, but still feeling the need to make sure she actually wanted him to use magic.

She gave a sarcastic pout.  “Please.”

“Alright,” he obliged.  “Come here,” Rumplestiltskin said, pulling her out of the path.

With a flash, the snow people took off in a whirling waltz.  Belle swayed a bit.  Noticing the instinct, Rumple pulled her close and twirled the pair of them into the chilled ballroom.  The couple moved in effortless synchronicity as they’d done time and time again.  Belle was the one to stop their motion.  “You know.  There’s something one of our snow people lacks…” she said breathlessly, wandering between the halted dancers, picking up snow and forming something small in her hands.

Rumple followed her intently, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of her last minute addition.  "What’s that, my dear?"  She compacted the snow into a small plank.  He twisted his face in concentration.  Belle turned back to him and smiled broadly, drawing a small plus in it and placing it in the hand of her snowy likeness.  The man squinted, trying to identify the item.  "Is that…"  Belle nodded, prodding him on.  "No,” he whispered, tears welling in his eyes as he strode forward her.  “Belle?  Are you…. Are you?”

Finally, she found herself able to admit it.  "You’re going to be a father.”

He placed his hand gently on her belly, staring at it with wonderment.  “Belle, I…” he stammered, unsure what to say first.  He settled on the obvious.  “How long?”

“Nine weeks, so not very,” she answered.  She could hardly contain her joy, and now, knowing that he was just as happy, she knew she wouldn’t have to.

He hugged her tightly, both hearts pounding.  Suddenly, it hit him.  Nine weeks.  “You knew before I left?"  Rumplestiltskin caressed her cheek lightly, voice hardly a whisper.  "Why didn’t you tell me?”

Belle shook her head.  She’d hoped she wouldn’t have to explain.   Surely he’d have known.   She sighed.   “Because I didn’t want you to change your mind about leaving."  When he opened his mouth to protest, she continued.  "I knew that you’d never forgive yourself if you didn’t try to save Henry, for Bae.  And look what happened.  You’ve got Bae back and Henry’s safe.”  The tears that had grown heavy in her eyes broke free.  "Now, we have everything.”

She was right.  She was always right.  He couldn’t argue with that.  Despite having thought he had everything upon returning from Neverland, this was more, so much more.  All he could say was “I love you, Belle.”

She closed the remaining distance between them until there was hardly a hairsbreadth between them.  “And I love you, Rumplestiltskin,” she replied, before lacing her hands into his hair and kissed him over and over again.


End file.
